The Miami Dolphins are now 1-8 after a narrow 24-22 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10.
The Dolphins were without starting quarterback Malik Willis, who was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury he had been dealing with. Backup Kyle McCord unfortunately didn't prove to be a winning answer for Miami.
This was a game the Dolphins could have feasibly won since the Colts came in at 2-7 and have been trading away multiple key players for future assets. The Colts traded away two key wide receivers at the deadline, sending Josh Downs to Kansas City and Keenan Allen to San Francisco.
Missed field goals, crucial turnovers and offensive struggles are the ultimate reasons Miami couldn't come away victorious. Here are 5 takeaways from the Dolphins'
Week 10 loss to Indianapolis.
Time for a new kicker in Miami
Dolphins' kicker Zane Gonzalez missed three kicks in Sunday's game, two field goals and one extra point, costing the Dolphins seven points.
In a two-point loss, it is easy to point out the missed kicks as the primary reason Miami could not come away with the win. Gonzalez is the second kicker the Dolphins have used in 2026, signing him after waiving Riley Patterson following Week 5.
Gonzalez finished the day 1-for-3 on field goals, missing from 51 and 47 yards. On extra points, he was 1-for-2. Gonzalez has now missed kicks in three consecutive games. Considering this is a recurring issue, the Dolphins should move on from Gonzalez immediately.
The young Dolphins secondary shined against a struggling Daniel Jones
The Dolphins defense showed out against the Colts' passing attack, holding quarterback Daniel Jones to just 108 yards passing and two interceptions.
The interceptions were recorded by a pair of rookies, first by safety Michael Taaffe and again by cornerback Chris Johnson, who returned it 59 yards for a touchdown.
This was Taaffe's third interception of the season while also adding six tackles on the day. He continues to prove that he's a steal of the 2026 draft as a fifth-round pick.
Johnson's interception return for touchdown brought the game back to within a single score, cutting the Colts' lead to 21-16 in the third quarter. Johnson now has interceptions in back-to-back games and his first career pick-six. Turning interceptions into touchdowns is something Johnson showed the ability to do at San Diego State, doing it twice last season.
Colts relied on the run game offensively, and it was effective
The Colts were able to generate an efficient offense by sticking to the run game. Jonathan Taylor led the way with 83 yards on 16 attempts. Rookie Seth McGowan also had an impressive day with 77 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.
In total, the Colts had 172 yards on the ground and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. The time of possession was just about even, with the Colts just slightly winning the battle. If the Miami defense could have done a better job containing the run, this game could have had a very different result
Kyle McCord's performance
Except for a few big plays, it was an overall mediocre performance by Kyle McCord. He finished the game completing 17 of 32 passes for 209 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Although McCord didn't throw an interception, he was responsible for a strip-sack that resulted in a Colts touchdown. On the opening play of the third quarter with the Dolphins backed up at their own 10-yard line, Colts' cornerback Justin Walley got to McCord and forced the fumble, which was recovered in the end zone by defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore. This gave the Colts a 21-7 lead.
Later in the third quarter, McCord was able to lead a seven-play, 71-yard touchdown drive in which he completed an impressive 38-yard pass to Caleb Douglas and finished the drive with a rushing touchdown from three yards out. The Dolphins were unfortunately unable to convert a potential game-tying two-point conversion, and the score remained 24-22 at the start of the fourth quarter, the eventual final score. The Dolphins had three more drives to try and take the lead, and they resulted in a missed field goal, a punt and a turnover on downs.
Ultimately, McCord didn't show many signs of being able to turn the Dolphins into a winning football team any more than Malik Willis has.
Chop Robinson added another sack to what is becoming an impressive 2026 campaign
Dolphins edge rusher Chop Robinson recorded his fifth sack of the season today on Jones. Robinson now has four sacks in his last four games and is pressuring opposing quarterbacks consistently.
Robinson finished today's game with five tackles, a sack, and two QB hits. But his box score often doesn't quite illustrate his impact on the game. Robinson came into this game leading the league in pass rush win rate at about 36%.
This is a big year for Robinson in securing a long-term future with the Miami Dolphins, and his play as of late has to be incentivizing the front office to strongly consider offering him an extension when that time comes.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Takeaways from Miami Dolphins' 24-22 loss vs. Indianapolis Colts
